Makuru Arts Festival

About the event

This winter, Cockburn debuts the Makuru Arts Festival, a dynamic new arts festival set to ignite Memorial Hall with theatre, film, dance, visual arts, music, and workshops throughout June and July. The exciting and accessible program delivers high-quality arts experiences to audiences, such as interactive music events, and powerful First Nations storytelling through film. 

The lineup features acclaimed Perth theatre companies The Last Great Hunt, Big hART, and Max Burton, plus two curated music events by iconic WA artists. Memorial Hall will also transform into a creative hub, workspaces, and exhibitions.  
 

Film Showing
Genocide in the Wildflower State

Tuesday 3 June, 5.30-8pm
Free
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
This powerful documentary uncovers the racial absorption and assimilation policies in WA during the 20th century. Stay after the screening for an exclusive Q and A with cast members, plus there are free snacks.

Register to attend Genocide in the Wildflower State

Friday Night Music- Voices of Country

Friday 13 June, 6-10pm
$15 per person, kids under 10 are free
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
Celebrate the sounds of Country and connection at Voices of Country, a special night of First Nations country and roots music at Cockburn Memorial Hall. Featuring powerhouse performances by Lilly Gogos, JoKeria, and Bradley Hall, this event brings stories of land, life, and spirit to the stage for Makuru Festival. Join us for an evening of heartfelt songs, rich harmonies, and powerful storytelling on Nyungar Boodja.

Purchase tickets to Friday Night Music
 

Flowerpot Music 

Sunday 15 June, 2-4.30pm
Free
Manning Park Sound Shell, Hamilton Hill (In case of rain the session will move to Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill)
Join in this free, two-hour immersive music-making session led by local percussionist Thea Rossen. To participate you need to bring a flowerpot that will make sound, such as glazed pots (best option), terracotta, metal bowls, jars or porcelain pots. Avoid plastic or wooden pots as they don’t make much sound. Yarn mallets provided. No experience is required and it’s suitable for ages 12 and over. There’s also a complimentary afternoon tea.

Register to attend Flowerpot Music

Max Barton's Wednesdays at  the End of the World performance

Wednesday 18 June, 6.30-9pm
Tickets $20 per person
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
It’s a bold, mix of live music and theatre by acclaimed UK artist Max Barton. This experimental performance brings together Max and a group of talented local artists as they explore imagined end-of-the-world scenarios through sound, movement, and storytelling. It’s moving, thought-provoking, and surprisingly hopeful, a powerful reflection on crisis, connection, and the resilience of community. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind experience. Suitable for 15+.

Purchase tickets to Wednesday's at the End of the World

Sunday Arvo Music - Bloodline Beats - The Fisher, Rogers and Brewer band

Sunday 22 June, 2-5pm
$15 per person, kids under 10 are free
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
Get set to hear some amazing music from three iconic local family bands, the Fishers, Rogers and Dave Brewer and the Brewer Boys. From soulful harmonies and high-energy beats to heartfelt storytelling, we will have you moving and grooving, a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Suitable for all ages.

Purchase tickets to Sunday Arvo Music

Yoga Nada 

Wednesday 25 June, 6.30-8pm
$15 per person
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
A yoga class like no other that blends movement, sound, and meditation. Yoga Nada is a calming, immersive session held in a darkened space, where you’ll move gently through guided meditation while surrounded by soothing soundscapes. Expect vocal mantras, deep ambient tones, and visual projections that create a truly tranquil atmosphere, perfect for relaxing your mind and body. No experience needed, just come along and immerse yourself in this sensory journey.  

Purchase tickets to Yoga Nada

Alvin Sputnik Deep Sea Explorer

Saturday 28 June, 7-8.30pm
$15 per person
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
This one-man puppet show mixes technology and multimedia into a story of enduring love and the end of the world. An apocalyptic tale where Alvin’s mission is to save mankind by travelling the depths of the sea to find a new place for survivors to live. Stick around after the show for a Q and A.

Purchase tickets to see Alvin Sputnik

Tjaabi- Flood Country 

Sunday 6 July, 5-6.30pm
$15 per person, kids under 10 are free
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
Powerful storytelling through song, story and visuals. Led by respected Ngarluma man Patrick Churnside, this powerful performance celebrates Country and culture through song, story, and striking visual elements. Raw, deeply moving and woven with humour, Tjaabi shares Patrick’s remarkable life and connection to the Pilbara in an unforgettable blend of music and narrative. Suitable for all ages.

Purchase tickets to Tjaabi Flood Country
 

Film Showing
Like My Brother

Tuesday 8 July, 5.30-7pm
Free
Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill
Like My Brother is a moving coming-of-age documentary that follows Rina, Freda, Julianna, and Jess as they leave their Tiwi Island home, chase their AFL dreams in Melbourne, and ultimately return to their roots. It’s a story about strength, sisterhood, and how sport can connect cultures and change lives.

Register to attend Like My Brother